China’s anti-doping agency (CHINADA) has accused the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) of applying ‘hypocritical double standards’ in its handling of doping cases, specifically pointing to the contrasting treatment of Chinese athletes and American sprinter Erriyon Knighton. This accusation follows USADA head Travis Tygart’s vocal criticism of the 2021 case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive before the Tokyo Olympics but were allowed to compete after Chinese authorities determined the positive tests resulted from unintentional food contamination. Knighton, a world silver medalist, tested positive for the banned substance trenbolone this year but avoided suspension from the Paris Games after an arbitrator attributed the result to contaminated meat.
CHINADA’s statement on its website asserts that USADA has exhibited a clear double standard, seemingly prioritizing exonerating American athletes while accusing CHINADA and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of concealing the truth. The statement emphasizes unresolved questions surrounding Knighton’s case and points out that three American athletes escaped sanctions in recent years by citing food contamination. CHINADA argues that the Knighton case exposes a discrepancy between USADA’s rhetoric about fairness and clean sport and its actual practices.
The statement further criticizes USADA for ignoring its own doping history while aggressively pursuing sanctions against other countries. CHINADA alleges that USADA’s attacks on China and other nations are a tactic to deflect attention from its own anti-doping shortcomings. This, according to CHINADA, represents political manipulation and hypocritical double standards.
CHINADA accuses the US Congress, USADA, and American media of selectively targeting China and misrepresenting the truth through fabrication and manipulation. The agency urges USADA to cease spreading false narratives, politicizing anti-doping efforts, and manipulating public perception, arguing that these actions disrupt and undermine the integrity of the global anti-doping system and governance.
This public accusation follows a statement from a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers last month who threatened to cut U.S. funding for WADA, claiming the agency failed to adequately investigate the 2021 case involving the Chinese swimmers. The ongoing tension between the two nations over anti-doping practices highlights a broader geopolitical struggle and raises concerns about the fairness and integrity of global sports.
